Cost Estimators Salary
Cost Estimators in Raleigh-Cary, NC make a median of $79,230 a year, or about $38.09 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $80,715 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,750/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $79K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cost estimators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Raleigh-Cary
Cost estimators pay in Raleigh-Cary tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,750/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cost estimators in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $78K | $80K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $73K | $79K |
| Winston-Salem | $71K | $77K |
| Wilmington | $73K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level cost estimators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Cost Estimators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cost Estimators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $101K | +28% | 4,520 |
| Alaska | $97K | +23% | 220 |
| Wyoming | $91K | +15% | 440 |
| Colorado | $87K | +10% | 6,100 |
| Washington | $86K | +9% | 7,470 |
| California | $85K | +9% | 26,020 |
| Illinois | $83K | +5% | 5,990 |
| District of Columbia | $83K | +5% | 270 |
| Nevada | $82K | +4% | 2,240 |
| Rhode Island | $82K | +4% | 590 |
| Vermont | $81K | +3% | 320 |
| Maryland | $81K | +3% | 4,580 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +3% | 2,350 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +3% | 4,310 |
| New Jersey | $81K | +2% | 5,240 |
| Virginia | $81K | +2% | 5,840 |
| Oregon | $80K | +2% | 2,940 |
| New York | $80K | +2% | 11,980 |
| Hawaii | $80K | +2% | 1,040 |
| Idaho | $80K | +1% | 1,600 |
| Utah | $80K | +1% | 2,800 |
| New Hampshire | $80K | +1% | 980 |
| Delaware | $79K | +1% | 730 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | -0% | 9,420 |
| Michigan | $78K | -1% | 6,960 |
| Ohio | $78K | -1% | 8,100 |
| West Virginia | $77K | -2% | 830 |
| Montana | $77K | -2% | 1,230 |
| Louisiana | $77K | -2% | 2,680 |
| Arizona | $77K | -2% | 5,760 |
| Texas | $77K | -2% | 20,760 |
| Georgia | $77K | -2% | 6,010 |
| Wisconsin | $76K | -3% | 5,150 |
| Kansas | $76K | -3% | 2,250 |
| Iowa | $76K | -3% | 1,870 |
| Missouri | $76K | -3% | 6,580 |
| Tennessee | $76K | -4% | 4,340 |
| Alabama | $75K | -5% | 3,000 |
| Florida | $75K | -5% | 13,720 |
| South Dakota | $75K | -5% | 1,030 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -5% | 1,960 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -5% | 8,030 |
| Maine | $74K | -6% | 760 |
| Indiana | $73K | -7% | 4,810 |
| North Dakota | $73K | -7% | 730 |
| Nebraska | $73K | -7% | 1,330 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -10% | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $70K | -11% | 2,880 |
| Oklahoma | $68K | -14% | 1,860 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -14% | 900 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -22% | 1,400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track cost estimators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a cost estimator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 34.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cost estimators in Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cost estimators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,301/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 76% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cost estimator a high-paying job in Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for cost estimators?
Raleigh-Cary pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cost estimators make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $79,230 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,350, and experienced cost estimators can clear $131,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,047/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 34.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cost estimators salary go in Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cost estimators salary is worth about $80,715 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cost estimators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.